Anyone Can Be Blind

60% of atheists and agnostics claim to own at least one Bible.

Back in the time of our forefathers, America was founded on secular principles, protected in the Bill of Rights that was tagged onto the Constitution. But if not for Christianity (or religion in general), where do cultural mainstays like the illegality of same sex marriage, or the prohibition of female voting until 1920 really come from?

Essentially, America is not the poster child for separation of church and state as so many like to believe, which is exactly why atheists are still to this day discriminated against for their faith (or lack thereof).

"This stunning anti-atheist discrimination is egged on by Christian conservatives who stridently — and uncivilly — declare that the lack of godly faith is detrimental to society, rendering nonbelievers intrinsically suspect and second-class citizens."

But from where does this distrust and subordination root?

According to the above Washington Post article, research has shown that atheists are more ethical, intelligent, and happy than the common religious American. How does this group of people present a burden to society?

When atheists begin belittling the beliefs of their fellow Americans, then non-theism becomes a problem. But the same goes for Christians and imposing their values on others.

Atheists can and should be able to believe what they choose to, but blatant disregard for other religions is always unacceptable.

Reverting back to the initial statistic provided, at least 60% of atheists own a Bible. To me, this indicates a heightened level of self-awareness and spirituality.

Many make the argument that atheism exists as the by-product of pure and utter laziness. "I don't have time to devote to a religion..."

But those people do not take the initiative to declare themselves atheists. They simply become non-practicing Christians, or Muslims, or Jews.

There are certainly atheists who accept their status blindly, simply drawing that religious orientation out of a metaphorical hat. But from my experiences, far more Christians are anointed that way. And that doesn't have to be a bad thing; I'm one of them! But I was born into a family where both parents were Christian, because they were born into families where both parents were Christian, and so on.

Atheists tend not to have such a luxury in the form of spiritual predisposition. Their decision tends to be forged through much personal contemplation, as well as through reflection on their experiences with the Bible or other religious texts.

One can be Christian before knowing anything at all about the Christian faith. Most are baptized before their first birthday! But very few are born atheist. To declare oneself as such requires at least a working knowledge of the abandoned religion, because something must have spurred this break from "the norm."

In Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible, readers begin to notice a shift in religious fidelity among several of the narrators. These are the daughters of a devout Baptist Reverend, mind you, and cannot possibly spend more time with the Bible and its Scripture. Yet through years and years of exposure some of the girls begin to notice aspects or teachings that do not jive with their own personal myth, and lose faith in not only their lifelong religion but their own upbringing as well.

If you are able to briefly transpose your way of thinking, you might find it in your heart to agree with me when I say that atheists, on the whole, are equally, if not more religiously aware than any other faction. In any denomination you will have your devouts. But a significant chunk of any religion's population are the previously mentioned blindly accepting, yet unaware. That chunk does not exist among the atheist crowd. Who's lazy now?